Ricciardo lives the dream as Toro Rosso sign him for next year

Roje Adaimy

HE STILL pinches himself every now and then, but Daniel Ricciardo says he has firmly found his feet in formula one.

The 23-year-old Australian is on the cusp of wrapping up his first season as a full-time F1 driver. And, after re-signing with Red Bull Racing's junior affiliate Toro Rosso last month, has secured a future in the sport for next year.

''It's a little pat on the back to say 'You did all right this year, we'll keep you','' Ricciardo said.

''I didn't really have any doubts, to be honest, but all it takes is two, three bad races in a row and then you know some questions can be raised. I was pretty happy with my progress and I knew if I could keep that up then there was no reason why they'll give me the boot.''

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Ricciardo - the only West Australian F1 driver in history and fourth youngest in the 2012 field - admits he has been living the dream ever since taking the seat in a HRT car last year but believes he is ''fitting in well''.

''I feel I'm handling it well and I'm enjoying it,'' he said. ''Formula one, when I was 10 years old, was obviously on a massive pedestal. And now that I'm in here, you sort of realise 'Oh, everyone's human.' [Michael] Schumacher and all these guys I looked up to, they're just guys who are like me who've just been racing. You bring it back down to reality … But I still pinch myself every now and then.''

Ricciardo says he's come to understand formula one is a serious business and involves much more than just driving a car.

After 2012's penultimate round in Texas this weekend, the young Australian will travel to Brazil for the season's final race before heading to Argentina, Italy and the UK in the few weeks before Christmas. Only then will he get the chance to relax at home in Perth.

''It is quite demanding, the world of F1,'' he said. ''There's lots of travel and a lot of commitments away from the scenes.

''It definitely means a bit of time away from friends and family. I guess that, in general, isn't always easy, but at the end of the day I try and look at the big picture and the fact that I am racing F1.

''How many kids, how many of my friends, would kill to have this job?''

Ricciardo will be looking to add to his 10 championship points - the 10th of which he scored in Abu Dhabi two weeks ago - in Sunday's US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

The Circuit of the Americas has been given a resounding thumbs-up by drivers and team principals, although Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button fear a potential lack of overtaking.

The $US250 million ($243 million) purpose-built track opened its doors to formula one on Friday as the sport returned to the US for the first time in five years.